Caster.



G. A. LINDEN.

GASTER. APPLICATION FILED DBO. 12, 1910.

984,824. Patented Feb.21,1911.

CHARLES A. LINDEN, F JAMESTOV/N, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO SHERIDAN R.FETCH, 0F COREY, PENNSYLVANIA.

CASTER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. LINDEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Jamestown, in the county of Chautauqua and State of NewYork, have invented new and useful Improvements in Casters, of which thefollowing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is aspecification.

The invention relates to casters and more particularly to caster framesor portion of said caster which supports the caster wheel; and theobject of the improvement is to pro vide a resilient pintle and atubular socket for said resilientpintle and means for retaining saidpintle within said socket with freedom of resilient movement; and theinvention consists in the construction and arrangement of the parts asshown in this specification and accompanying drawings and pointed out inthe claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of the caster with the tubularsocket in section at line X X in Fig; 2. Fig. 2 is a side elevation ofthe caster with the tubular socket in normal position. Fig. 3 is a planview of the spring retaining ring. Fig. 4 is an elevation of thesupporting pin or pintle of the caster frame. Fig. '5 is a crosswisesectional view at line Y Y in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the sheetmetal blank as shaped for forming into the tubular socket or holder forresiliently mounting the pintle. Fig. 7 shows side and end elevations ofthe spring for the upper end of the pintle.

Similar numerals refer to like parts in the several views.

The numeral 10 indicates the metallic saddle or bridge piece of thecaster frame which is formed with two downwardly extending legs 11 whichare connected to the caster wheel 12 by a crosswise pin 13. The saddle10 of the caster frame supports on its upper side the pintle or pin 14which has a portion 15 cut away to form the annular shoulder 16 andannular projection or boss 17. The upper end of the cutaway portion 15is limited by the projection 17 which provides a shoulder on its upperand under sides similar to annular shoulder 16. The reduced pintle 1 1extends above the projection 17 a sufficient distance to support thereonthe coil spring 18. The lower end of coil spring 18 rests upon the upperside of projection 17 and the upper end ofthe spring Specification ofLetters Patent.

Application filed December 12, 1910.

tically turned and Patented Feb. 21, 1911. Serial No. 596,780.

18 extends above pin 14: a considerable portion of its length to allowfree resilient movement. The coil spring 18 is formed with its upper end19 centrally placed verpointed, which arrange ment provides a spinningpoint for the caster within the hole in a piece of furniture to whichthe caster is attached. When the furniture is made of metal it isapparent that the hole for the reception of the resilient pintle may beprovided the correct depth to receive said pintle and the metal upperend of the hole will provide a solid bearing for the end 19 of spring18. The depth of said hole is preferably made about one quarter inchless than the entire length of the pintle 141 with a spring 18 thereonso as to allow a space 27 for the resilient upward and downward movementof the piece of furniture. If, however, the piece of furniture be ofwood a suitable socket or tubular holder 20 should be provided which hasa closed upper end 21 and within the center of the inner side of which aprick point 22 is preferably provided to receive therein the pointedupper end 19 of spring 18. The tubular socket or holder 20 is preferablymade from a fiat sheet of metal, as shown in Fig. 6, with a tongue 23which laps across the up per end of the holder into the cut awayportions thereby closing said upper end and providing a bearing surfacefor end 19 of spring 18 and on the inner side of which the prick point22 may be made before the holder is given the tubular form and tongue 23is bent down over the same. The lower end of tube 20 is bent outwardlyin a projecting flange 25 which provides a gradually enlarging innersurface 26 to receive and press inwardly on a spring retaining ring 241,when the same is pressed up within the holder 20. When the pintle 14;with spring 18 and retaining ring 24: is used in a solid retainingmember, as for example, in the casting of a foot of metallic bedpost,the hole for said pintle and spring should be reamed out around thelower end to correspond to the part 26 of tube 20 so that the springretaining ring 24.- may be pressed into the hole and will adjust itselfautomatically to the inner circumference of the hole the length of thehole within the tube 20, or for the pintle and spring, should be of sucha length as to normally hold the tube 20 above saddle piece 10 asuflicient distance, as indihis cated at 27 to allow for the resilientmovement of the tube 20 and the supported piece of furniture.

In addition to spring 18 a locking ring 2% is sprung over the projection17 and into the cutaway portion 15 of pin 14. The spring ring 24 fitsloosely around the cutaway portion 15 and thereby slides up and down onsaid cutaway portion with perfect freedom. The spring ring 24: fits sotightly within the tubular holder 20 or the hole for the resilientpintle that the pintle is retained firmly in position upon the piece offurniture so that the caster may spin freely upon point 19, turninginstantly in any desired direction. The cutaway portion 15 of pin tle 14allows spring 2a to pass freely up and down the pintle 14, the length ofthe cutawayportion 15 being made according to the desired resilient upand down movement, the length of the spring 18 being proportionedaccordingly.

I claim as new:

1. In a caster, a resilient pintle, a portion of said pintle reduced insiZe and having shoulders at each end of saidreducedportion, and aspring locking ring for said pintle mounted on said reduced portion withfreedom of upward and downward movement for said pintle within saidlocking ring.

2. In a caster, a furniture supporting pintle,'-a.spring on the upperend of said pintle, said pintle cut away below said spring, and a springring around said cutaway portion 3 to lock said pintle with freedom ofmovement within the hole in the furniture.

3. In caster attaching devices for furniture having a suitable hole, acaster frame, a pintle on said frame shorter than the length of saidhole, said pintle having a reduced upper end, a coil spring on saidreduced upper end, said coil spring having a vertically upturned end tobear against the wall at the upper end of said hole.

l. In caster attaching devices for furniture having a suitable hole, acaster frame,

a pintle on said frame shorter than the length of said hole, said pintlehaving a reduced upper end, a coil spring 011 said reduced upper end ofsaid pintle, said coil spring having a vertically upturned end to bearagainst the wall at the upper end of said hole, said pintle having areduced portion below said spring with shoulders at each end, and aspring locking ring for said pintle in said hole mounted on said reducedportion with freedom of upward and downward movement for said pintle. 5.In caster attaching devices for furni ture, a caster pintle having apointed upper end, a sheet metal socket for said caster pintle, a tongueof said sheet metal formed over the top of said socket to receive saidpointed end of said pintle, substantially as and for the purposespecified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my a name to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES A. LINDEN. Witnesses:

A. L. FURLOW, I. A. ELLswoR'rH.

